Regulator for electric generators



Patented Dec. 13,1923.

BEGINAID G. BTANIJERWECK, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YGRK.

REGULATOR FOR ELECTRIC GENERATORS.

Applicaticn led July 32%), "9151 lSerial No. 42,547.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REGINALD G. STANDER WIoK, la subject ofthe King of Great Britain, residing at Lynn, in the `county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have inventedcertain'new and useful Improvements in Rega lators for Electriq'iGenerators, of' which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to a system of control for an electric generator, and is particularly -applicable to small turbo-generator sets such as are used for train lig iting, although it will, of course, he understood that my invention is not limited in its applican tions to situations of this character, but is capable of general application.

Turbo-generators have heretofore been employed on locomotives for supplying the electrical energy necessary for operating electrical translating devices such as, for

example, a headlight 'and cab-lights, the

tubinc which operates the generator receiv ing steam from the locomotive boiler. ln installations oi" this character the load is subject to considerable variation, as happens when either the cab lights or theheadliglit is disconnected fromv the circuit, and when the generator and turbine are designed tosupply the translating devices with current at their rated voltage at full load, then when the load is decreased the speed of the turbine and of the generator connected. thereto is increased, with the result that the voltage on the lamps is increased, and this, oi' course, results in a short lite for the lamps, and, aside from the additional expense occasione-fl thereby, their premature burning out is likely to occur at times when it is diillcult or impossible to' renew them or give them attention, and their failure is exceedingly inconvenient, and may lead to serious conA sequences. l

It has heretofore been proposed to control the speed of the prime mover by acen-- lrifugally operated device that regulates the amount of steam admitted tothe turbine, but such devices arc open to the objection that they are lilreiy to get out of order, Aand are particularly objectionable for use in connection with turbo-generator sets for locomotive lighting, which are customarily 4mounted on the locomotive outside of the give them carecated within thepinagnetic'inuence of Said Winding, Now, a decrease in the workin load produces an increase in the s o the generator and a correspondin increase y in the voltage across the brushes o the generator, and this in turn more strongly magnetizes the shunt Winding and increases the artificial load. `On the other hand, 'an increase in the Working load in the saine manner causes a decrease in the artificial load, so that the artificial load varies inversely as the working load. It is to be observed that in my invention the artificial load is continuously applied, and any variation in the Working lood is promptly inanifested'in a corresponding inverse variation inthe artificial load.

For a fuller understanding of my invention,lreference' may behad to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure i is a side view of a turbo-generator set embodying my invention and showing the generator and the magnetic drag therefor in vertical section; Fig. 2. is a diagrammatic view showing the circuit connections; and: Fig. 3 is an end view of the electromagnetic drag shown in Fig. i.

Referring, now, to the drawings, 1 is a turbine which may receive steam from the locomotive at constant pressure through a reducing valve, in a Welldinown manner. The frame 2 of the turbdgene-rator set is sup ported by legs 3 and 4. One end-of the frame comprises a cylindrical portion 2a, which with a transverse member 2b and an endA piece 2 constitute a housing for the generator A. Theshaft 5 of the turbine isv suitably journaled, as atv 6, in the frame of.

the machine, the generator .end oflthe shaft l may comprise other translating devices. A

field member'14, having pole pieces 14a (see Fig. 3) extending outwardly nearly to the cylindrical member 2, is secured by Imeans of a hub to the frame 2 of the generator.

The member 14 forms, with the portion 2b of the frame, aspace within which a magnetiz` ing Winding 16 connected in shunt to the generator is located, An armature 17 of con'-V ducting material, which is preferably composed of copper, and is preferably in the form of a cup-shaped disc, hasI its flange 17a extending between the part 2% o f the frame and the poles of the magnetic member 14, and is secured to -the shaft 5.

In operation,the shunt coil'16 setsA up. a magnetic flux, for which the magnetic member 14 and the parts 2n and 2b of theframe form a path. The liux in passing-between the frame 2 and the magnetic member 14 threads the flange 17 of the armature 17. Now, if a part or allof the load isremoved from the generator, the speed of the generator and of the rotating copper disc connected thereto tends .to increase. Now, it is well known that the eddyA currents in such a disc will vary as the square of the speed with constant excitation. lBut the excitafv l tion is not constant for the magnetizing coil is excited from the brushes ofthe generator, and the exciting current,r\vhich is proportional to the 'generator voltage, will also vary as the square of the speed. It will be seen, therefore, that the eddyvcurrent loss in the disc increases very much more rapidly than does the speed of the generator, and as a result of such relatively rapid variation on the part of the eddy` .current loss it is possible to maintain the speed of the generator Within limits which are commercially practicable. 1t is apparent, therefore, that the magnetic drag which is comprised within my invention, and which is provided n with a shunt"coil, is particularly well adapted for controlling the speed of the generator, and keeping the same Within satisfactory limits, and my invention is to be distinguished from previous devices utilizing a friction type of ymagnetic brake for controlling the speed of a shaft, which would be unsuited for the purposes of my `invention,

since the rate of increase of the artificial load would not be sufiiciently rapid in progenerator.

lIn accordance with the provisions of the `patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; it 1s to be understood, however, that such changes as come Within thespirit and scope of the appended claims mayv be made,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by 4Letters Patent o f the United States, is z l. In combination, agenerator, the speed of which varies in accordance with load variation, a variable load connected to said generator, and a -magnetic drag for the generator comprising a stationary field member provided With a shunt In'agnetizing Winding, the field member being mounted on the frame of the machine and completing its magnetic circuit therethrough, and an armature mounted on the shaft of the generator and vhavingl a portion located between the frame of themachine and said field member.

2. In combination, an electric generator, a supply circuit connected thereto, a variable load connected to said supply circuit, and a magnetic drag for the generator comprising a winding connected across the supply circuit and in shunt to the generator for ymaintaining substantially constant voltage on said supply circuit.

3. In combination, an electric generator, fa supply circuit connected thereto, a variable Working -load connected to` said supply circuit, and a magnetic drag comprising a Winding connected across lthe supply circuit and in shunt to the generator for applying to the shaft of the generator an artificial oad whichvaries inversely as the Working load.

4. In combination, a tmbo-generatorset comprising a steam turbine to which steam under constant pressure is supplied, a generator directly connected to thev shaft of said turbine, a supply circuit connected to said generator, a variable Working load connected to said supply circuit, and a magnetic drag having a Winding connected across said supply circuit and in shunt to the generator for sol applying to the shaft of the generator an imams im' driving Huid said difflng vmams A vmfaaams af had on activez mw y mmf" w ik@ shaft mean@ im @ruiming a magneti@ responsive of the load f 

